


The One Where Arthur Likes Merlin's Glasses

by SPowell



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Secret Crush, drunk fumbling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-19
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-04-10 03:54:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4376231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SPowell/pseuds/SPowell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for Tropes Bingo squares Secret Crush, Drunk, and Locked-in.<br/>Merlin finds Morgana's brother drunk outside the pub and takes him home with him.<br/>Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. They belong to BBC, Shine, and legend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The One Where Arthur Likes Merlin's Glasses

The nineteenth time (Merlin counted) that Freya brought up Gilly, Merlin was ready to leave.

“Why would he have said that? What do you think, Merlin?” Freya never seemed to remember that she’d posed the question many, many times before.

“I told you, I…” Merlin sighed and shook his head. “Sounds to me like he genuinely wants to end things, Frey. I’m sorry.” He buried his face in his pint, ready for the waterworks. He hadn’t dared be so forthright with Freya before, but he was getting desperate.

Much to Merlin’s surprise, Freya’s face didn’t crumple, but rather looked like she dismissed the idea.

“He’s not acting like himself. This isn’t Gilly. He loves me—tells me that all the time. I think he must be having some kind of breakdown. Do you think I should text him?”

Merlin had heard this many times. Gilly was supposedly going through some kind of crisis that made him act like he wouldn’t normally. At least, that was Freya’s rationale for Gilly breaking up with her; Merlin wasn’t so sure. Gilly might just want his freedom. Merlin took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. There seemed to be nothing Merlin could say or do that would get it through Freya’s head that she and Gilly were through.

“I don’t think you should text him. Give him some space.”

“What do you suppose he meant when he said that I was the best thing that had ever happened to him? He did say that, you know. I mean, he broke up with me, and then he says that? It must mean something.”

 _Fuck,_ Merlin wanted to get away. Freya was one of his best friends, but after a week of this, he couldn’t stand it anymore. Freya had brought up the break-up conversation every time they’d spoken, and she went over it more meticulously than Sherlock Holmes did a case.

Spotting Geraint in the corner, Merlin waved him over.

“You’re a smart bloke,” Merlin told Geraint, feeling only slightly guilty at Geraint’s pleased expression. “Freya needs some insight into a guy’s mind.” Merlin stood, giving Geraint his seat. “Frey, I’ve got to go. Early day tomorrow, remember.” He kissed the top of her head and almost ran out of the pub. Before he left, however, he heard Freya begin her plaintive questioning.

Outside, the air was chilly, and Merlin shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, looking up and down the street for a cab. A movement in his peripheral vision made him turn. A rather forlorn-looking figure sat slumped on the pavement by the pub, and Merlin thought he’d recognize that bright cap of hair anywhere. Morgana's handsome brother was unmistakable.

“Arthur?” Merlin said, bending down in a crouch beside him. “What are you doing out here in the cold?’

Arthur lifted his face to look at Merlin, eyes squinting in drunkenness.

“You're M’gana’s fren. Martin?”

“Merlin.” Merlin mentally rolled his eyes. Of course Arthur wouldn’t know his name after seeing Merlin with Morgana dozens of times in the past three years.

Arthur’s smile was unexpectedly bright and charming.

“Like tha troll…”

“The wizard,” Merlin said. “Come on, let me help you up.” He slipped his hands under Arthur’s arms and lifted. The guy was heavier than he looked. “I’ll get you a cab home. What’s your address?”

“Don’ rem’ber,” Arthur laid his head on Merlin’s shoulder, and Merlin could smell his expensive shampoo. He made a Herculean effort to resist burying his face in the silky hair.

“Are you with someone? Why were you sitting outside the pub?”

Arthur looked around as though he’d forgotten where he was.

“Think it w’s Gwaine, the prick. He lef’with Elena.”

“He left you here drunk? What kind of friend does that?”

“W’sn’t drunk then,” Arthur said, burying his face in Merlin’s neck. “Mmm. You smell yummy.”

“Yummy’?” Merlin snorted. Sober, Arthur would be scandalized at his behavior, Merlin was sure. Pulling his mobile out of his pocket with some difficulty, considering Arthur was a major handful at the moment, Merlin texted Morgana.

**Where are you? Your brother is legless outside the pub.**

Arthur wrapped his arms around Merlin’s neck, wide blue eyes staring.

“Y’r pretty. I like yur glasses.”

“Um, thanks.” Merlin’s groin definitely registered Arthur’s close proximity. “But you only think that because you’re off your face, mate.”

“No-o.” Arthur shook his head solemnly. “I’ve thought it lots o’ times, Marvin.”

“ _Merlin._ Gees, being _Arthur_ and all, you’d think you could remember Merlin.”

A light seemed to blink on in Arthur’s head.

“Tha'sright! Your the wizzzzz-erd in m’castle! Mer-ganna said that.”

Arthur’s mouth made a perfect O of wonder, and Merlin couldn’t help cracking up. He glanced at his phone again. Morgana wasn’t answering—Then Merlin remembered she had a date, which was why she hadn’t accompanied him and Freya to the pub. That and the fact that Freya couldn’t stop talking about her break-up with Gilly. What the hell was Merlin going to do with Arthur? He didn’t know where the man’s flat was, and if Morgana was at home and shagging the bloke she’d worked so hard to get to notice her, she wouldn’t appreciate Merlin bringing her drunk brother over.

“Fuck, what am I going to do with you?” Merlin tightened his grip around Arthur’s waist as Arthur began to slide down Merlin’s front.

“Eaz-y, take me home.”

“I don’t know where you live!” Merlin slid his hands down Arthur’s back, searching for a wallet in his pockets.

“Ooo…feisty wizzz-erd I’ve got!” Arthur ground into Merlin, making Merlin gasp. “Take me t'yours an show me y’magic wand!”

“Oh, my God.” Merlin lifted a hand and hailed a cab. Arthur grinned like a maniac as Merlin shoved him into the backseat.

“Thassit, Mervin!”

“Merlin. The wizard, remember?” Merlin slid in after Arthur, shut the door, and gave the cabbie the address to his flat. “You can sleep at mine, Arthur, but only because I don’t know what else to do with you.”

Arthur sagged over onto Merlin, warm breath rustling the hair at Merlin’s nape.

“Always wannita fuck a liberian,” Arthur said, and Merlin frowned until Arthur poked at his glasses.

“Arthur, just because I wear glasses does not mean I’m a librarian!” He grasped Arthur’s hand, stilling its movements before Arthur could do any real damage. 

Finally, the cab pulled up to Merlin’s building. Merlin pushed Arthur’s hand away from his crotch for what seemed the hundredth time, paid the cab fare, and helped Arthur out onto the pavement.

“Thought wizz-erds lived inna castle!” Arthur frowned, staring up at the brick building and swaying on his feet. "Dincha say yerra wizz-erd?"

“You’d better not vomit on my carpet.” Merlin wrapped an arm around Arthur’s waist and helped him inside.

Arthur was a thirsty drunk; the lift ride had Merlin fending off wayward hands yet again.

“What happ’nd to that bloke…wasshisname…that you were seeing? He here?” Arthur wrapped his arms around Merlin’s waist from the back and leaned on him.

“You mean Will?” Merlin managed to get the door to his flat open and they fell inside.

“Dinna deserve you, the fuck-twat.” Merlin was used to the prat completely ignoring him, but drunken Arthur had this way of constantly staring at Merlin that was disconcerting. How did he know about Will, anyway?

“Will and I broke up about a month ago,” Merlin said, pushing Arthur against the wall and holding him up with one hand while toeing off his own shoes and slipping out of his jacket. “You’re going to have to sleep on the sofa.”

“Wanna sleep w’you.” Arthur pouted. Downright pouted—rosy lower lip stuck out and everything. Merlin couldn’t help but find it cute.

“And then wake up in the morning all mortified?” Merlin shook his head.

“No, nonononnonono.” Arthur grabbed Merlin by the collar to force him to listen. “Nooooo. Not mordifried.” He shook his head and kept shaking it until Merlin laughed and grabbed Arthur’s face with both hands to stop him. Merlin looked over at his sofa, which was really more of a loveseat. There was no way Arthur’s long legs would fit.

“All right, but no funny business out of you. Got it?”

Arthur nodded solemnly, and Merlin chuckled as he helped him into the bedroom.

Getting Arthur Pendragon out of his clothes when all Arthur wanted to do was pet Merlin’s head and sometimes his arse wasn’t easy. Finally, Merlin got him down to his shorts, trying not to notice how fit Arthur was. Smacking Arthur on his pert arse, he got him to the right side of the bed and tucked him in before fetching him a glass of water.

“Here, Arthur. Drink this. I’m going into the bathroom for a bit.” He pressed the glass into Arthur’s hand.

When Merlin returned, the glass was on the floor, water spilled everywhere, and Arthur was curled on his side snoring. Merlin wiped up the mess and crawled in beside Arthur. As he lay staring at the ceiling, it occurred to him that he’d never thought he’d wind up in bed with Morgana’s hot brother. He had to smile as he rolled over and promptly fell asleep.

Several times in the night, Merlin awoke to find Arthur’s seemingly endless amount of arms and legs locked over and around him. It wasn’t unpleasant, and Merlin didn’t bother to wiggle away except for that one time when his eyes fluttered awake to find Arthur’s hand inside his pants, long fingers fiddling with Merlin’s pubic hair. Cheeks burning and cock taking a decided interest, he’d held his breath and gently lifted Arthur’s hand away by the wrist.

When the alarm went off early the next morning, Arthur still slept, so Merlin got ready for work, allowing himself only one lingering glance at Arthur with his knees curled under his chest and his arse in the air before leaving the flat, a note explaining what happened and to make himself at home propped against a bottle of pain reliever on the kitchen table.

“ _What?_ ” Morgana perched on Merlin’s desk, a cup of coffee in her hands. “You took my drunk brother to your flat?” At Merlin’s nod, she began laughing, not stopping until she was wiping away tears. “I would have paid to be a fly on the wall.”

“I had to leave him there this morning. He wasn’t awake yet.”

“Arthur will be so mortified. He’s always had a thing for you, Merlin.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.” Merlin stared. When she only looked back at him seriously, he asked, “Why didn’t you ever tell me that?”

“I’ve been hoping Arthur would get the balls to approach you himself.”

“But he didn’t even get my name right!”

“He had trouble remembering it until I pointed out Merlin was Arthur’s wizard in the legend of King Arthur.” Morgana laughed and shook her head as though fondly. “He’s only seen you with me for brief moments here and there over the years, remember. It isn’t as though you two have sat down and talked. He's always just said that ‘that bloke with the dark hair is interesting.’”

“Interesting?”

“That’s Arthur’s word for ‘fit, hot, and I want to shag him.’”

Merlin covered his face with his hands and then something occurred to him.

“Is he always a handsy drunk?”

“Arthur?” Morgana raised her eyebrows. “I’ve never known him to be.” She leaned closer to Merlin, green eyes boring into him. “Are you saying he was handsy with you?”

Blood rushed into Merlin’s cheeks.

“Maybe a little?”

Freya came around the corner, arms full of papers, and stopped at Merlin’s desk. Merlin tried not to wince, knowing she would launch into something about Gilly and grabbed Morgana's wrist before she could escape.

“Thanks for bringing Geraint to the table last night,” Freya surprised Merlin by saying.

“Uh. You’re welcome. Did he help you with the…er…Gilly problem?” _Dammit, Merlin! The one time she doesn’t say it and you go and bring it up?_

“I’ll say he did. He texted Gilly and made him come down to the pub. We’re back together again!” Freya was all smiles as she continued down the hall.

“Wow,” Merlin said, watching her go. “Didn’t expect that.”

Morgana only shook her head in wonder.

“So, how are you going to get with my brother?” Morgana recovered quickly. “You do fancy him, don’t you? It will kill him if I have to tell him you don’t.” She seemed to think about that for a moment. “Although it might be fun for me.”

“Of course I fancy him, Morgana, I’m gay and not _dead_ , for fuck’s sake. But I never actually imagined myself with him.”

“Well, believe me, he’s imagined himself with you.”

“I don’t know; if he’s only said I’m interesting, that isn’t much to go on, despite what you think his code is for fit, hot, and shaggable.” Merlin refused to get his hopes up.

“No, no. I made him admit it once. He said your intellectual look is a big turn on.”

“He thought I was a librarian.” The moment in the cab popped into Merlin’s mind with vivid clarity.

Morgana burst out laughing at that, and Merlin told her to shut it before she got them into trouble.

“He must’ve been really pissed to have said that," Morgana said. "He knows you work with me.”

“Believe me, he was a mess," Merlin said. "He’ll be long gone when I get home. I don’t know what I can possibly to do.”

“Leave it to me.” Morgana’s eyes twinkled.

***

It took a few weeks, but Morgana managed to get Merlin and Arthur together in the same room. Or, rather, the same closet. Locked-in.

“Morgana, so help me, I will have your _head_ for this!” Arthur pounded on the door.

Merlin couldn’t help but smile at the threat.

“What?” Arthur looked at him.

“Her head? What century do you come from?”

“Shut up, idiot.” Arthur pounded again.

“Idiot? Really? I liked you better drunk."

Arthur coloured, obviously not eager to remember that night.

“No need to thank me,” Merlin said.

Arthur sighed and looked around, choosing a suitcase to sit on. It was a surprisingly large closet, but Merlin supposed everything was large when you were rich.

“If it helps, I didn’t know your sister was going to invite me to her father’s for a pool party and then lock me in the closet with her brother.” Merlin had honestly thought Morgana's promise to get them together would come more in the form of a blind date.

“Why did you she do this, do you suppose?” Arthur leaned his back against the wall. Merlin decided to be forthright.

“She thinks you have a crush on me.”

Arthur’s eyes grew big and his mouth fell open. It was dim in the closet, but Merlin was pretty sure Arthur’s cheeks were even redder than before.

“Wha---how---but---that _bitch_!”

Unable to find anything to sit on, Merlin lowered himself to the floor, pushing aside an umbrella that threatened to poke him in the back.

“She means well.”

“She wants to embarrass me! As though I haven’t embarrassed myself enough in front of you.” Arthur covered his face with his hands.

“Hey. No need to be embarrassed; you were fine that night.” _Even when you were pawing me._

“I don’t remember much of it.” Arthur shook his head, then looked up at Merlin plaintively. “Tell me I didn’t beg you to sleep with me.”

“No, you didn’t.” Merlin laughed. “You just wanted to sleep in my bed. Don’t worry, Arthur, you didn’t try anything.”

“I think you’re lying. I explicitly recall the feel of your…your…” Arthur seemed to be purposely keeping his gaze above Merlin's waistline.

Merlin raised a brow, and Arthur got flustered.

“You know what I’m trying to say! I’m pretty sure I had my hands all over you!”

“In the cab and in the lift, but not in my bed,” Merlin said, still grinning.

“Oh, you think this is funny, do you?”

“I think it’s adorable,” Merlin said, and Arthur blustered for a few more minutes before settling down. Merlin leaned forward and reached for Arthur's hand. “Do you really like me?”

Arthur couldn’t seem to meet Merlin’s eyes, and Merlin tugged on his fingers.

“Come on. You can tell me. To be truthful, I’m kind of hoping you do.”

Arthur looked up then.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Merlin entwined their fingers together.

“In that case,” Arthur dropped to his knees in front of Merlin. The kiss was light and soft and promised so much more. “I guess it’s okay to admit that I’ve had a few fantasies about you in your glasses.”

“In a library?” Merlin asked breathlessly. If he had to, he’d break them into one.

“A library?” Arthur frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“That night you were drunk. You thought I was a librarian.”

“No-o-o, I know you work with Morgana, Merlin.” Arthur seemed to consider. “But a library would be hot. Do you have a cardigan sweater?”

Merlin barked out a laugh. As Arthur’s lips met his once again, and Merlin got his first taste of Arthur’s tongue, the door to the closet flew open.

“What the--” Uther Pendragon stood staring at his son and guest on the floor of his coat closet. “Arthur, what is the meaning of this?”

Behind him, Merlin could hear Morgana giggling.

 

The End.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I will be having several original m/m romances coming out in the next several months and will give info soon on where to purchase them, if anyone is interested.


End file.
